"Uh huh."
That was the best way—to make each promise separately; for some one of them might have claimed that he hadn't promised with the rest.
"Then go on down the trail, and you'll find the horses where you left them."
"How do we know?"
"On the honor of a Scout," said General Ashley. "We won't try any tricks, and don't you, for we'll be watching you until you start for town."
They grumbled back, and with Bill Duane in the lead stumbled for the trail. General Ashley whistled the signal agreed upon, for Major Henry and Kit Carson to tie the horses and to withdraw. We might have followed the enemy; but we would have risked dividing our forces too much and leaving the camp. We were safer here.
So we waited, quiet; and after a time somebody signaled with the whistle of the patrol. It was Kit Carson.
"They've gone, sir," he reported, when General Ashley called him.
"What did they say?"
"They're mad; but they're going into town and they'll get back at us later."